According to the authors, “the symptoms completely disappeared in 14 patients and improved in 24. The lesion size reduced to zero in 6 patients and decreased in 32.” The authors thus conclude that low doses of ethanol for treatment of deep venous malformations was “effective, with a low complication rate.”

What are deep venous malformations?

Venous malformations are often present at birth and grow to become evident later in life. Among vascular (relating to blood vessels) malformations, they are the most common. They vary in size and can appear almost anywhere on the affected person’s body. Consisting of dilated, spongy channels of veins and capillaries, they often appear with a deep blue discoloration on the skin. A “deep venous malformation” is located deeper in the subcutaneous tissue or even in the muscles.

Venous malformations are often assessed with magnetic resonance imaging and then treated with sclerotherapy.